Tribulation
by TheGr8MrFish
Summary: Prelude to Irken Princess Kay's story Invader Zim Saga. Set up to my character who she has graciously accepted to be in her story. This wouldn't exist were it not for her, so please give her credit and check her story out! Flux is a fabricated Irken Elite who's life takes a turn when the first Elite batch plot to overthrow The Tallest.


**Author's notes: This story isn't fully original. This is intended as a prelude to a story written by a friend; Invader Zim Saga by Irken Princess Kay. She graciously befriended me after I provided feedback to her story, and has accepted a character of mine to be integrated into her story. Anyone who enjoys this story must give seventy-five percent of the credit to her. Basically, this story sets up background for my character, Flux, who in the story by my friend doesn't reveal much. This is a first person narrative, and be warned that a certain homicidal maniac plays a big role in this. So without further ado, it is time to find out what it's like to feel pure pain.**

I've spent decades pondering a word to describe my lifespan. Of course, it's only when I find myself on foreign soil, the planet of lower life forms, that I find a language containing a fitting word.

Tribulation; yes, that's what I feel. My soul is full of pain, for I've never been allowed to be happy, not once. It's like all those stories where you're supposed to feel sorry for those saps who ended up with lives that they couldn't stand; responsibilities that never meant shit to them. But in the end, they save the princess, destroy their enemies, or find their own independence. Me? I'm pretty sure I'm going to die on this ship.

But while I still exist, I may as well record my story, for future leaders to know why beings like me are a force to be reckoned with. It's not a happy story, as you may have guessed. Be warned; you will not think of my people the same way after my legacy is spread. That, I know for sure.

I was brought into this world as all Irkens in these days; fabricated and with one purpose. I was a guardian, cold blooded, ready to exterminate all who opposed me or the Almighty Tallest. I was soldier, guard, and assassin. A figurative Swiss Army Knife of the Tallest, the humans might say. I was given the name Flux, formerly the name of a great Irken assassin before me.

I was born with one brother; Apex, named after an old ancient warrior, the first one to conquer a whole planet. At first glance, we were fitted perfectly to those names. However, those who gave shit knew that we were actually opposites; Apex was gentle, kind. He fought brutally, but did that make him a full warrior? No, he was different from most Irkens. I, however, had no other goal but to kill, protect, and dominate. That's why we were so praised; we destroyed and conquered like the perfect military mind, and soon we were the greatest legends to ever be recorded in Irken history.

That's how we were seen back then. We were heroes. But those spineless worms knew nothing! We weren't heroes at all. I believe Apex said that all we were was puppets, something along those lines.

My brother was created before me, making him the elder. He was the first elite royal guard to live after creation, but of course, that was never enough for our Tallest. They wanted more; a better version of Apex to be trained harder than he, to kill more and crush more, to feel less. They wanted me.

And with that, their greed for wrath ushered my existence, along with a whole batch of others, into this world. I was instantly combat ready; just how the Tallest wants our manipulated selves to be. I trained along with my brothers; one of which was Sik. I never really cared much for him; that is until a year later, when I finally started talking to him after a long day of vigorous training which hadn't even made me sweat. I was changing from my training armor to my guard uniform, finishing the straps of my polished boots as he approached.

"Hey," he had beckoned, "you're supposed to be my brother… Why don't you ever talk to me?"

"Socialization is not a priority;" I replied, "my reason of being is to protect, command, and conquer."

"Sheesh, do you always talk that mechanically?"

"I rarely talk."

"Yeah, that's true; you never talk to us, except for big brother Apex."

"What I and the captain speak to each other about has nothing to do with you; keep your petty concerns out of it."

"You know he's your favorite."

This was something new. I had always known that Apex was fond of me; I was the best of the bunch. But this wasn't the same. I stood up as I came to the conclusion he was speaking about emotions.

"Irkens do not take pride in one another; that is something only the Tallest may do. Apex cannot possibly feel this way, having been fabricated."

"The Tallest don't remove emotions; they block them."

"Is that heresy?"

"If it is?"

"I can kill you quicker than you could even land a blow."

"Yes, I'm aware. But you won't."

"Do you think I'm bluffing?"

"I think you're two things; full of shit, and full of forced loyalty; a dog."

My fists were clenched. How dare he speak to me this way! Doesn't he realize the angrier he makes me, the more painful his punishment will be?

Anger.

"Oh… That's new."

"See what I mean, Flux? We're not machines, we aren't cold and heartless. It's all deception. Do you seriously think that's right?"

He then left, finishing the final button on his jacket. I stayed a while longer, analyzing the situation before leaving.

Next time I talked to Apex, I decided to seek guidance.

"Brother Apex, have you ever felt?" I had asked upon approach.

He turned to face me, our eyes meeting easily due to being the same height. All Irkens are as tall as an average human adolescent; however our time on earth affects our growth, allowing us to grow to new heights never thought of. That's beside the point though.

"Felt?" he questioned, "as in, emotions?"

"Yes. Sik was talking to me, and-"

"Ah, Sik," he said with a strange tone that I know as pride, "A fine soldier, and a good thinker. I have no fear of him failing. I assume he had convinced you to feel?"

"Yes, sir; he made me angry through taunting."

"And as we know, that's a sign of defection, right?"

"Yes. Does this mean he must be decommissioned?"

"If it was a sign of defection," he said, gazing at me as if to break me bit by bit and study my cells, "Then that would make me a freak as well."

I soaked that in carefully. The great Captain Apex, elite guard and conqueror of numerous worlds is a defect?

"Sir, that makes no sense. You are nowhere near defective, how can you possibly feel?"

"Flux, they're using us; The Tallest."

"… Yes?"

"We're puppets; full of potential, but wrongfully used. That is an incorrect way of living."

"But we were told-"

"Lies!" he snapped, "… we were told lies, Flux."

He left abruptly, obviously disturbed. I couldn't blame his actions; I was disturbed too.

After three long years of existence and training, I had acquired many new feelings, and I had learned to identify them. Sik had helped me, so had Apex. Out of all the Elite Guard, I felt they were the only two I could call brothers. One day, however, they approached me with solemn looks on their faces.

"What's wrong, brothers?" I asked curiously.

"The princess… Has been born," muttered Apex bitterly.

"Really?" I questioned, "So does that mean we have a new heir, or just another pawn?"

"Flux," said Sik, "She's pale, got male and female features, and she has a gem on her forehead capable of immense power. This is highly serious."

"So… She's an abomination?"

"No, Flux," answered a sad looking Apex, "She's healthy and capable of so many great things. It's just that only Prince Roz will accept her, and now The Tallest will most likely treat her awfully."

"Scary, deadly, mistreated, used… She's just like…"

"Us…" finished Sik.

"… What's her name?"

Sik looked to Apex in questioning. He looked at me and told me a name that would mean far more than any other in the royal family for a long time.

"Her name is Das."

Year four; the year a very important question was said to us from Apex.

"Would you kill The Tallest to liberate our people?"

By this time, I had taken twelve planets, preformed over 786 assassinations on officers and politicians of enemy factions, and led 307 battles. I was a fully fledged Elite Guard to the Royal Family, the best assassin who ever lived, and a military captain alongside Apex. After all this, all this long bloodshed ad war, would I, really take away my original reason to exist? Would I seriously want to kill my creators? The ones who orchestrated everything to ever happen to me?

I pondered a long time. After which, the answer was clear.

"For my brothers, anything."

It had been a long time since that day, and things and changed immensely. First, Das's full powers were revealed, and it was shown that her inner self was more twisted than her figure. Second, I had my DNA copied so that when a suitable female was found, it could be used to create a powerful offspring. Then, we got a new princess; Kay.

Sadly, she was too young to know of the Elite Guards existence; even then, not even Das knew. We worked that way for a reason; best to look like either regular guards, or work in the shadows. No Irken was able to see an Elite Guards face, making it so much easier to blend in. Our exploits were heard throughout the Irken Empire, but we were never seen. It was just our way.

Since then, the Elite Guard consisted of over thirty brutal males. The only ones to join our little militia though was the original batch. The newer batches grew more mindless, thus making them impossible to employ into our ranks. A shame really; the entire Elite Guard turning on The Almighty Tallest at once would be far more flashy and unstoppable. I would've preferred it that way.

I remember my last talk with my brother, on the topic of the second and third batches of Elites.

"It's fucked up, Apex," I remember saying out of the blue.

He regarded me with a knowing look of sadness, "The stealing of an Irken's will? Yes. Outlandishly fucked up, indeed."

"It'll all change, right? We'll make things right, correct?"

"To say I doubted it would be a sin, for it's a sin to tell a lie. I'm sure that absolutely everything will be fine."

Those were the last words of tranquil conversation we had ever shared.

I spent the last night alone with my standard issue Elite Guard AI, Draco. I told him to load all the information I've collected over the years of the Tallest's deceit into a compressed file, and to send it to Sik, seeing as we decided he would be the one we protect if all things go wrong, making sure he gets out to spread the truth. I decided a little chat with Draco would be nice before sleep took me.

"Draco, do you agree with this plan?"

"I am programmed to follow my master's orders and aspirations; so whatever you truly feel is what I must embody."

"But how do I really feel?"

"We are scared, Flux. No; utterly terrified."

"Splendid. I can't shake the feeling that this will backfire and inevitably destroy our chances and liberty."

"If impending loss is what you feel, then that shall be the outcome. You must make yourself believe that you will succeed, and then, only then, will you really be capable of doing so."

"Wow… You're pretty philosophical, Draco."

"Oh, that wasn't my own. That was written by Ibn Ahad of the Firenze Legion, the only original resistance that remains standing against the Empire."

"Oh… I'd like to see other worlds in a peaceful light one day."

"Then win."

"And if I don't?"

"I'm out of a job and you're most likely dead."

"That's fucked up."

"Outlandishly fucked up, indeed."

The day had come; we were about to strike.

My group was team Sigma, consisting of Apex, Sik, and I. Team Omega was the other seven of batch one. Their goal; infiltrate and attack the Elites and act as the ones trying to assassinate The Tallest. Ours; attack from the flank, killing The Tallest at all cost. It couldn't go wrong; it was timed and set perfectly.

Of course, we were false.

Omega brutally attacked batches two and three, as we prepared to drop in and attack.

"Be prepared brothers; this may be our final battle," whispered Apex before readying his great sword. I readied my short sword, Sik prepared his spear.

We dropped.

Fighting the Elite wasn't easy. Speaking of which, they were able to flowingly react, separating perfectly to come attack us. We'd already lost two of our men; a third badly wounded. But I couldn't focus on my brethren; I had my own problems.

I bended back to dodge a swinging axe. As the wielder prepared another overhead strike, I continued my back bend into a handspring, flipping back onto my feet as the axe blade embedded into the ground. Before he could raise his axe, I swiftly slid my blade across his throat. He was finished instantly. I turned to see that Sik was able to vault over his opponent and quickly impale him doing so, and I god a good glimpse of the fountain of green blood erupting from Apex's decapitated foe.

I jumped up, using my PAK to rocket myself upwards. Upon reaching the ceiling, I twisted, aiming for another enemy before kicking off. I landed on the elite, palm down on the top of his head. In one quick flick of my wrist, the bones in his neck shattered, and he ceased to live.

Sik had stabbed another, and Apex had bisected a second Elite. By now, their ranks were dwindling, but that didn't stop them. However, before we were able to reach the throne room door, it opened, revealing Tallest Red and Purple, backed by a new quickly made batch of Elites.

I was powerless at this point; their numbers raised as ours lowered to where it was just me, Apex, Sik, and an Elite named Taz. It was hopeless. We had lost.

"Heresy! Treason! Blasphemy! Attempted assassination! Rebellion!" Purple called out all the "crimes" we had committed as we kneeled there like week smeets. After Purples' judgment, Red approached with a sick grin on his face.

"See, Purple?" he hissed, "This is what happened when we give them a chance to have a real mind. They rebel, like traitorous morons!"

He made me sick; he was one to judge, with his tyrannical ways.

"How do you plead, Flux?"

I still remember my exact words. As I looked into his eyes, I said only four; "Go fuck yourself, dictator."

I spat onto his robes, my way of saying "this is only the first of many future rebellions, swine." He obviously didn't like it. With a look that looked both bored and sadistically amused, he yanked me up, uncuffed my arms, and handed me a pistol. Then, he turned me towards the remainder of my team, putting the barrel of his own gun to my head.

"Shoot Apex," was all he said.

I was prepared to turn and finish him, despite my situation, but Apex spoke.

"Flux," I turned to face my brother, "Do it."

"… What? But, Apex, we fought so hard!"

"Live to fight another day," he gave me a smile, "I know you will, brother."

"Hurry up and shoot him before I get bored!" Reds voice irritated me, as I tried to find a loophole.

"Flux, there's no time!" Apex looked solemn now, and it made it harder. I rested my finger on the trigger, hesitating.

Then, Apex, for the first time, looked furious. He knew what he was doing; he was simulating what a one on one battle would be like. He was taunting me.

"DO IT!" he yelled, and my instincts took over.

In less than a second, my brother was dead.

I was on my knees now, hanging over my brother's corpse. I couldn't believe it; Apex was dead. My brother was dead. I shot him. I killed him. I shot Apex. I killed my brother. I killed him.

This enraged me, and I heard Reds taunting laugh.

"Now pick the next one to put down!" he yelled with joy.

However, Taz was a good soldier, and all good soldiers have honor. In an instant, he was turned around, his cuffs facing me. I fired a single shot at the cuffs, causing the laser bolt to ricochet and shoot Red's gun out of his hand while simultaneously breaking Taz's bonds. He took the gun from me, and I spun around in a flurry of pure rage. In my anger, I caught Red's left arm, and pulled until I heard a ferocious ripping sound and a shriek of pain.

I dropped Red's severed arm, but before I could continue my assault, he was dragged back and blocked by the Elites who had recovered from their shock and awe. Sik, who was still bound yet on his feet and using his legs in hand to hand combat, yelled to me, "run! You have a chance, now run, Flux!"

Taz guarded me as I ran, I watched behind me as he was shot down and Sik was subdued. I didn't dare try to save him; he was right in that I had a second chance if I could escape.

I sprinted down to the royal landing bay, quickly jacking a royal class VOOT cruiser and speeding off. The defenses tried to stop me, but they were never designed for keeping ships in, making them nearly useless. I could still hear the gunfire of random soldiers who noticed my getaway. It didn't matter though. Soon, I was in deep space, jamming any and all radars and beacons I passed. I made sure to disable the tracking beacon in the cruiser, before entering light speed and exiting the galaxy, leaving Irk behind forever.

Through the grief, fear, anger, sadness, and contempt I felt, I realized that I had finally left on my own accord. I was an outlaw, but that didn't matter. I was free, in my own bittersweet way. But what was done completely changed me. Where I should have felt happy, sitting in that cruiser and navigating my own path, I didn't even smile. In fact, I never smiled again.

Eventually, I managed to find my way to a planet called Earth. I landed there in hopes of repairing my engines, which had over the years and long trip been damaged. I landed on the outskirts of a small city that looked faded and grey, even from a distance.

My landing zone was a small Cliffside parking space for human vehicles. It gave a great view of the sky, stars, moon and all. I checked my engines and lightly huffed. This would take quite a while to repair. I needed a hideout.

Then, a voice echoed from behind me.

"Hey." It said calmly.

I slowly turned to notice a tall and lanky male human. He wore beaked boots, slim black pants, a striped shirt with a smiling face on it, and a black trench coat over that. His hair was a mess of black fur; his face was impish and grinning. All in all, he looked abnormal, despite never seeing a human before this one.

"… Yeah?" I questioned the human. I had expected a species who had not yet made contact with any other worlds to be baffled by me, but he just looked at me amused.

"You're not from Earth," he said pointing an accusing finger, with a grin on his face, "You're an alien."

"… This doesn't confuse and or terrify you?" I asked slightly confused myself.

"I'm not like other people. My name's Johnny, but you can call me Nny for short."

"… Hello, Nny…"

"Hello."

It was silent for a while. He seemed overly polite, so I decided to try my luck.

"Do you mind if I stay with you? I need to repair my ship," I asked, making sure to hold back my emotions. I didn't want much to do with the humans; this was just a pit stop.

"Sure," he said, "Though you should know I like to kill people."

"Ah, okay," I replied to the grinning man, "That's alright, because I do too."

The small "pit stop" on Earth ended up being longer than I expected. I lived with Johnny, fixed my ship, grew taller than I could have imagined possible, and made a human holographic disguised. I carried a machete and a heavily modified magnum. I had black hair, wore a long black short sleeved coat with high collar, black pants and purple shirt, and I had a pair of beaked green shoes. I had become a normal human, living everyday walking about and enjoying my free will. It was nice, to say the least.

But I couldn't let my past remain without closure. Soon, I would need to take my final revenge on my creators. Soon, I would return and kill the tallest, and if I had to, I would eradicate all of Irk and its people. This wasn't just a mission anymore; it was personal cold blooded retaliation. I was at war.

"Johnny,"

"Yeah Flux?"

"I found out that some of my people were here, and that they're planning to take vengeance on The Tallest."

"Ah. I'm assuming you're going with them?"

"It's been plaguing my dreams; the image of my brothers corpse and that laughing fucking demon of a "leader." Of course I'm going."

"Okay. You coming back?"

"If I live."

"Alright, see you soon."

"I said "if," Johnny."

"You will."

"Okay. Turns out, my son is in that group, by the way, and they killed his mom."

"Whoa. That's fucked up."

"Outlandishly fucked up, indeed."

"Well, have fun ending your tribulation."

"Johnny, the way things are looking, I think I already have."


End file.
